Coin-return mechanism



Feb. 21, 1 928.

O. D. JENNINGS COIN RETURN MECHANISM Filed May 27. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 21, 1928.

o. D. JENNINGS COIN RETURN MECHANISM Filed May 27. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet Z Feb. 21, 1928.

O. D. JENNINGS COIN RETURN MECHANISM Filed May 27, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Swuem W Patented Feb. 21, 1928.

.VUNITED STA TES ODE 1). JENNINGS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

,Application 'flled Kay 27, 1928. Serial No. 111,987.

This invention relates to coin return mechanisms for vendin machines and has for its object to provide a construction more simple and efficient in operation than those heretofore employed. r

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel details of construction and arrangements of parts as.

will be more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of the mechanism as applied to a vending machine;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view takenon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail View of one of the weights used in conjunction with this apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a. perspective view of the merchandiseactuatedtrip controlling the coin return mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a sectional line 51-5 of Fig. 1 and rection of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig, 5 but showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 7 "is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a view taken view taken on the looking in the diarrows;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows with parts removed for clearness; and

Fig. 10 is a partial rear elevational View in perspective of the switch mechanism as sociated with the coin chute.

This invention is an improvement over the construction disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,562,771, dated November 24 1925; in that this invention is directed to a mechanism which will cause .a coin to be returned to the operator of the machine after the last article of merchandise has been vended.

In the drawings 1 represents the'top plate of the,machine adapted to support. the coin receiving chute casting generally indicated by the numeral 2 of substantially the same construction as that disclosed in my afore- .their respective posltions immediately merchandise leaves said magazine,

on the line 88 of Fig. 5 and looking in the direction of the mentioned patent. That is to say, the said. casting is provided with a chute havin an openin 3 for the reception of a coin w ich normally passes downward past the switch device indicated generally by the numeral 4 to bestoppedby the pivoted dog 5, and released therefrom by the pivoted lever 6 all as disclosed'in said patent.

Referring to Fig. 5 the parts are shown in nor to the release from the magazine 10 o the last article of merchandise 11 therein. The next coin inserted in the chute 3, will pass downwardly therein and permit any suitable mechanism, not shown but well understood, to oscillate the pawl 12 about its shaft 13 so that the tooth 14 thereof will release the star wheel 15 allowing the merchandise'll, through the action of gravity, to pass out of the ower extremity 16 of the magazine 10, and fall into the trough 17 from which it may be obtained by theoperator, as clearly shown 1n Fig. 6. It is to be observed, however, that so long as there are articles of merchandise in the magazine 10, the trip member generally indicated by the numeral20 will be prevented from entering the'ma azine 10 under the action of the spring 21, v ut as soon as the last article of then the said trip device will be oscillated about its supporting shaft 22 so as to project into said magazine.-

The trip device in Fig. is preferably material and bent to rovide the two substantially parallel si e members or walls 23 and 24; having the forwardly disposed edges 25 and 26, and upwardly extending ears 28 and 2, each separated by a space 27 from the main body portion of the sides for a purpose presently to appear. said ears are suitably apertured to receive the shaft 22 upon which the trip member oscillates and the side members are held in spaced relation by a back wall or rear member 30 having integrally formed therewith, or rigidly secured thereto, a tail 31 extending downwardly and away from said wall and whose end is provided with a lateral extension 32 adapted to engage the back edge of the pawl 12.

lVith particular reference to Figs. 1, 6 and 8 it will be seen that the trip device 20 is so supported by the shaft 22, which in turn is supported by the lugs formed on the rear 20 particularl illustrated stampe from sheet The screw 43 as particularly illustrated in Fig.

3. The shaft 41 is so disposed that the Weight 42 will depend therefrom within the three walls 23, 24 and 30 of the trip device so that when said trip device moves forwardly or to the left as seen in Figs. 5 and 6, the rear wall 30 of said device will contactwith and swing the weight-42 to oscillate the shaft 41 as indicated from Figs. 5 and 6. In this respect it will be understood that, when the trip device 20 is in the position shown in Fig. 5, the weight 42 or such a plurality of them as is required will aid in returning the shaft 41 to its normal inoperative position.

Likewise positively secured to the oscillating shaft 41 to one side of the trip device 20, is a bracket 50 having a depending toe 51 adapted to engage a stop member 52 formed on or integrally secured to the magazine supporting plate 36 and of such a length as-to determine the amout of oscillation of the shaft 41. The bracket 50 has an arm 53 extending rearwardlyto the end of which is pivoted as at 54 one end of a connecting bar 55 whose upper end is pivoted as at 56 to one end of a link 57 centrally pivoted as at 58 to the end of a stationary bracket 59 secured as by the screws 60 to the coin receiving chute casting generally indicated by the numeral 2. A spring 61 disposed between the stationary bracket 59 and the connecting bar 55 exerts an upward pull on said bar thus tending to secure the parts in the position illustrated in'Fig. 5, but when the last article of merchandise has left the magazine 10, the trip device 20 will actuate the connecting bar 55 moving the same downwardly or in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 5, causing the link 57 to actuate the switch device 4 in a manner that will be readily understood from the drawings. That is to say, and with particular reference to Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 10, it will be observed that when the connecting bar 55 is moved downwardly, the free end 63 of the link 57 will be moved upwardly, contacting with the underside of ear 64 carried by the switch member 4, which will cause said switch member to oscillate about its pivot 65 whereupon the upper. and forwardly directed extension 66 of said switch member will enter the aperture 67 in the rear wall of the coin chute casting 2 and lie across the chute 68. The upper surface of the extension 66 is inclined to the horizontal that any coin inserted in the chute subse-.

quently to the delivery of the last article of merchandise from the magazine 10, will not only be obstructed by said extension but, due to the inclined upper surface thereof, will be deflected toward the left as seen in said figure into the auxiliary chute 70 connecting with the chute 71, and returned therethrough to the operator at any convenient point, instead of passing as normally through the regular chute 72 and falling into the coin box 73.

With particular reference to Figs. 5 and 6 it will be observed that as the articles of merchandise pass downwithin the magazine 10, they successively contact with and pass over the forward edges 25 and 26 of the sides 23 and 24 of the trip device 20 and for this reason, the upper extremities of said edges are rounded in order not to stop any of the said articles. Also it will be observed that the spring 21 associated with the trip device 20 will press said edges against said articles of merchandise, and therefore in order that-said pressure may never be sufficient to prevent the said articles from being delivered, said pressure is intermittently.

relieved with each operation of the star wheels 15, or in other words, said pressure is relieved every time an article of merchandise leaves the magazine. This is acco1nplished through the action of the pawl 12 which, in its rearward movements, will strike the extension 32 onthe tail 31 of the trip device 20 and move said trip device rearwardly or away from the magazine .10 so that the articles of merchandise by their own weight may freely pass down said magazine to be successively stopped by the prongs of the star wheels 15 in the usual manner. Thus it will be seen that the articles of merchandise will never be wedged between the trip device 20 and the front wall of the magazine so as to prevent one of said articles being delivered upon the receipt of a coin,especially in view of the fact that ample clearance space is provided in the magazine for said articles, as clearly shown in Fig. 7.

From the foregoing it will be understood therefore that an article of merchandise will be delivered from the mechanism for each coin that is received and retained by the machine, merchandise has left the magazine 10, any subsequently inserted coins will be returned to the operator. This is accomplished by providing the trip member 20 pivoted on the shaft 22 and actuated by the spring 21 which is normally prevented by the article of merchandise from extending into the magazine 10. When the last article of merchandise has left the magazine, however,

- the said trip device 'ber positively deflect understood will move will move into the magazine but in: so'doing a rear wall 30 thereof will oscillate the weighted shaft 41 and, through the combination of levers 53, 55 and 57 ,,oscillate the pivoted switch member 4 so as to project the 'up er extension 66, which is normally out of t e path of a coin, into and across the coin chute 2 so as to stop the subsequently inserted coins, and the inclined upper surface of said extension will said coin into the auxiliary chute for return to the operator. The parts of this mechanism will remain in. the position illustrated in Fig. 6 until the particular magazine 10 again receives articles of merchandise, which as will be readily the trip device 2'.) rearwardly and thus allow-the switchmem- 4 to assume its normal inoperative positions Due to the disposition of the shafts 22 and 41, it will readily be seen that the spaces 27 formed in the side Walls 23 and 24 of the trip device 20 are to receive the shaft il and thus allow thetrip device 20 to fully function. 7

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction as well as the arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, therefore, the foregoing except as may be demanded by the claims.

What is'claimed is 1. In an apparatus of the class described the combination of a coin receiving chute;

means adapted to stop a coin in said chute and deflect the same into a return chute; a magazine for holding a plurality of articles of merchandise adapted to be individually released by a received coin; spring actuated means including a weighted oscillatory shaft serving as a lever and a trip coacting with the merchandise in said magazine to actuate said first named means after the release of the last article of merchandise to .return said coin.

2. In a coin-controlled vending machine provided with a coin receiving chute and mechanism for delivering an article of merchandise for each coin received, the combination of a magazine for said articles; a switch member carried by said chute and provided with an extension having an inclined surface adapted to enter and cross said chute to intercept and deflect a coin therein, and further provided with an ear; a chute to receive and return the deflected coin to'the operatorof the machine; means including a plurality of levers and a vertically oscillatable trip coacting with said I ear and the merchandise in said magazine to actuate said switch member after the release of the last article in said magazine.

3. In an apparatus of the class described the combination of a coin receiving chute; a

merchandise adapte 'ing a coin inserted in it is not desired to be limited to magazine for holding a column of articles of leased byl a received coin; a star wheel and detent t erefor for controlling the release of said articles; pressure means coacting with said magazineto .frictionally engage the lowermost article therein; means carried by said pressure means and actuated by said detent for releasing the pressure on said articles during a delivery thereof; and means actuated by said pressure means for returnsaid chute after the release of the last article of merchandise.

4.. In an apparatus of the class described the combination ofa coin receiving chute; a magazine for holding a column of articles of merchandise adapted to be individually released by a received coin ;,a star wheel and detent therefor for controlling the release of said articles; vertically oscillatable pressure means coacting with said magazine to frictionally engage the lowermost article therein; means carried by said pressure means and actuated by said detent for releasing the pressure on said articles during a delivery thereof; and means actuated by said pressure means for returning a coin inserted in said chute after the release of the last article of merchandise.

5. In an apparatus of the class described the combination of a coin receiving chute; a magazine for holding a column of articles of merchandise adapted to be individually released by a received coin; a star wheel and detent therefor for controlling the release of said articles; vertically oscillatable pressure means having a plurality of cam surfaces coacting with said magazine to frictionally engage with equalizing pressure the lowermost article therein; means carried by said ressure means and actuated by said detent or releasing the pressure on said articles during a delivery thereof; and means actuated by said pressure means for returning a coin inserted in said chute after the release of the lastarticle of merchandise.

6. In an apparatus of the class described the combination of a coin receiving chute; a magazine for holding a column of articles of merchandise adapted to be individually released by a received coin; a star wheel and detent therefor for controlling the release of said articles; pressure means comprising a U-shaped member coacting with said magazine to frictionally engage the lowermost article therein in a plurality of-locations to insure a positive feed of the articles in said magazine; means carried by said pressure means and actuated by said detent for releasing the ressure on said articles during a delivery tliereof; and means actuated by said pressure means for returning a coin inserted in said chute after the release of the last article of merchandise.

7. In an apparatus of the class described to be individuallype- Inn articles during a delivery thereof; and means comprising a system of spring controlled levers actuated by said pressure means for returning a coin inserted in said chute after the release of the last article of merchandise.

8. In an apparatus of the class described the combination of a coin receiving chute; a magazine for holding a column of articles of merchandise adapted to be individually released by a received coin; a star Wheel and detent therefor for controlling the release of said articles; pressure ,means coacting with said magazine to frictionally engage the lowermost article therein; means carried by said pressure means and actuated by said detent for releasing the pressure on said articles during a delivery thereof; and means comprising a system of spring controlled levers and an oscillatory shaft actuated by said pressure means for returning a coin inserted in said chute after the release of the last article of merchandise.

9. In an apparatus of the class described the combination of a coin receiving chute; a magazine for holding a column of articles of merchandise adapted to be individually released by a received coin; a star wheel and detent therefor for controlling the release of said articles; pressure means coact- 7 gage the lowermost article therein; means carried by said pressure means and actuated by said detent! for releasing the pressure on said articles during a delivery thereof; and means comprising a system of spring controlled levers and a weighted oscillatory shaft, serving asa lever, actuated by said pressure means for returning a coin inserted in-said chute after the release of the last article of merchandise.

10. In an'apparatus of the class described the combination of a coin receiving chute; means adapted to stop a coin in said chute ,and deflect the same into a return chute; a magazine for holding a plurality of articles of merchandise adapted to be individually rel as d by a received coin; and means including a weighted oscillating shaft actuated by a spring controlled trip coactingwithsaid merchandise, to actuate said first named means after the release of the last article of me chandise to return said coin.

11. 11 an apparatus of the class described the combination of a coin receivin chute; means adapted to stop a coin in said chute and deflect the same into a return chute; a magazine for holding a plurality of articles of merchandise adapted to be individually released by a received coin; and means including a system of spring controlled levers and an oscillating shaft actuated by a spring controlled trip coacting with said merchan disc, to actuate said first named means after lthe release of the last article of merchandise \to'return said coin. V

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ODE D. JENNINGS. 

